The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-02-08

L lie ISdSOH lOI GIIOI O1l lI1iS SCOIC II CYL
dent. Few people had any business there,
and consequently few have visited the
place. The official map gives all the. data
necessary for an understanding of the
strategic value of the harbor and of its adj
vantages. On the cut are pictur ed the
reefs off the entrance, the bar, etc.
soUNDINGs on THE BAR AND ENTRANCE.
The island, which is pictured is $500
feet long by l 800 feet wide. The channel
which leads in from the sea is $500 feet
long from the coral reef to the entrance to
the West Loeb, and has an average width
of 500 feet. The navigable channel is 500
feet wide The question of accessibility Is,
of course, the principal one. The sound
ings, as set down officially, are given as fol-
lows: On the bar s fathOms, just over the
bar fathoms, 100 feet from the bar D
fathoms. 800 feet from the bar Z fathOms
1 600 feet from the bar - fathoms; subse-
quent and successive soundings are: Is, 10,
10, %. 26, -, Is, 26, 81, IS, 10, 9 and
fathoms respectively. The bar is about
700 feet across After the water on the
bar has been deepened, the least depth of
water encountered in the passage up the
channel TO the West Loeb is "a feet, and at
a distance of 100 feet inside the bar there
is d depth of 80 feet, which increases
further in:
Then follow the area and sOundingS OF
West Loeb The channel is tOrtuOus,
about 5000 feet long, with an average width
of 500 feet, which widens into the loch,
having an average width OFF 800 feet The
Il, 20 * ahnut
1900 yards long and $50 yards wide. The
main channel from this point, Middle and
East Loeb are likewise described and
soundings given. From the outside of the
bar to where the channel of the West Loeb
begins is I, 800 feet. To the island where
the channels of the Middle and East LOchs
separate is about II 900 feet from the out
side of the bar. In making these estimates,
based on the official map, William Center
assisted.
NATURAL DEFENSEs OF THE HARBOR.
1t is supposed that these bare details will
give a clearer idea of the essential facts to
be considered in connection with the pro-
position to establish a naval station than
could be presented by longer descriptive
writing There are other points to be con-
sidered. AS before mentioned, the harbOr
is many times larger than the harbOr of
Honolulu, which the engraving illustrates
fully. Mr.. Center, who has examined it
carefully, says that it is perfectly sheltered
and that nothing could be better protected.
Once inside of the lagoon vessels are secure
from storms and can ride safely at anchor
age. The coral reef to the west of the
oh oil nd tho Vt which hollis
are an effectual bar to passage there. The
only place of ingress is where it would be
in easy range of guns from a fort properly
placed. While the land to the west of the
channel which leads in from the sea is fiat,
landing could not be effected there without
passing through the only entrance and
under the guns of the proposed fort The
location of Oahu, its distance and easy
access from this port, its position on the
Australian route, the export trade from
the United States to the Hawaiian Islands,
which may largely depend on the renewal
of the Reciprocity Treaty, the aggrandize-
ment i'll the Pacific pursued by European
Powers, the hostile use which might be
made of Pearl HarbOr by a foreign Power,
the advantage TO our naval vessels OF hav-
ing a cOaling station there-these are con-
siderations which may be treated best in
another form. These considerations all
add interest however, to the study of the
facts concerning Pearl Harbor, and the
careful estimate which will be made by
practical men of the advantages which it
presents as a naval station and safe harbor
of refuge.
OTHER FACTS CONCERNING THE HARBOR.
There is some doubt as to whether the
Hawaiian Government will cede the har-
Dor to the United States. Still it has never
been of any practical value to the Ha-
waiian Kingdom, being unused and prac-
tically unknown to great majority, even
of the residents of Honolulu. Officials of
the United States have lived at Honolulu
for years and known very little about it,
except that there was such harbOr 1t
has been visited by Lieut.. Thomas R.
Stewart of the United States Navy, who
says that 1.-The waters are placid through
out the year and of an unusual depth,
which corresponds with the account given
by William Center, who says that gales
will not affect it. Lieut. Stewart adds
that the interior harbOr is sheltered by
ulSJdIII ranges Vi uIOunJdlIlS, Tile eastern
ridge extending to the most northern
part or the island. Vessels at anchor in
the harbor would have access to every
part of the island without going out, and
the entrance could be easily defended by
small Power against a greater one. The
size OF the island, between the Middle and
East Lochs, suggests ample room for a
cOaling station If that should be selected
Lieut.. Stewart says that the rocky forma-
ton of the channel is such that it can
easily be cleared where it is comparatively
shallow. At present the surrounding
country is used for grazing
Diocesan Synod
The following notice has been sent by
the Bishop of Honolulu to the members
of the Synod:
We have appointed Tuesday, the nine
teenth day of April next, for the assem-
hing of the Diocesan Synod IL ~